Automatic feeding device.



J. J. 11011111111111. AUTOMATIG FEEDING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 15, 1907.

983,919. Patented Feb. 14,1911.

2 SHEETS-EHEET 1.

J. J. McGUIGAN.

TOMATIG FEEDING DEVICE AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA HQ. 15, i907. 983,91 9, Patented Feb. 14, 1911. 2 ssssssssssss 2.

I 1/71 A g I 1 'i llllllldil i JAMES JOSEPH MCGUIGAN, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EDMUND RICHARD OHEARN, OF TORONTO, CANADA.

AUTOMATIC FEEDING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 15, 1907.

Patented Feb. 14, 1911 Serial No. 388,677.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES J OSEPH MoGUrcan, a subject of the King of Great Britain,

residing in the city of Toronto, in the county of York and Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Feeding Devices, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide means for feeding any number of animals at a set time a certain quantity of feed. I provide a measuring or gaging section that is adapted to be adjusted that different animals may be given different quantities. I also arrange the device in combination that any one or any number of sections may be cut off from operation, so that any animal may not be fed, or that any empty stall may not have feed deposited therein.

The device is so constructed that in setting the parts, the feed is received into the measuring receptacle, from the hopper and feed chest, and by its own weight, at the specified time, which will be regulated and set oif by an alarm clock, will close off the feed from the hopper and feed chest and open up and release the feed from the measuring receptacle into a feed boX arranged immediately below in the stall.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device showing it arranged in position in a stall; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of themeasuring receptacle; and Fig. 4: is a view of the time setting parts.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the drawings and specification.

Fastened to the front wall of the stall, and engaging with the ceiling or loft floor a is a hopper b, forming a communication between the feed-chest 0 arranged in the loft, and a measuring receptacle cl set immediately below the hopper. Formed through the loft floor a from the feed-chest 0 into the hopper b is an opening 6 to permit the feed to pass directly out of the feed-chest into the hopper, and from the hopper into the measuring receptacle. The hopper Z) is fastened in position on the wall of the stall by brackets f bolted to the sides of the hop per and the wall. Slidably arranged in the bottom of the hopper b is a slide 9, actuated by a flat spring h.

The measuring receptacle d is fastened to the wall of the stall, immediately below the hopper, and is held in position by brackets (Z, similar to those by which the hopper is held in position. Hinged to the front part of the measuring receptacle (Z, is a door 2' adapted to be adjusted outward to increase the inner dimensions, so that greater quantities of feed may be received and measured. Extending inward from the sides of the door 2', are wings 2", and pivotally connected with the wings a" are extension wings 2' adapted to close in the sides of the measuring receptacle (Z when the door '11 is adjusted outward.

Hinged to the front of the door i is a handle-keeper j, formed with an arm extending backward at right angles from each end, with a hook formed thereon, to engage with any one of a series of pins Z, projecting from the sides of the measuring receptacle, and indicating the different amounts the measuring receptacle is adapted to be adjusted to.

Hinged within the measuring receptacle (Z is a door m, adapted to engage under a flange at extending inward from the inner walls of a chute 0, formed in the lower half of the measuring receptacle. The door m is held or coupled with an operating chain 7), passing up and over a pulley Q fastened to the front walls of the stall, in a convenient position with the hopper b. Coupled with the operating chain p, is a short connection chain 9", connecting the slide g, with the operating chain, so that the slide; hinged door in the measuring receptacle; and operating chain will all operate in unison. The operating chain 79 is carried ba ck along the wall to engage with an alarm clock 8, set on a bracket 2,, arranged in some convenient place in the stable or the house. Any suitable means for releasing the operating chain 7), when the alarm goes off may be employed. In the drawings I have shown a lever arm a engaging with the alarm winder of the clock. The lever arm it engages with a hook to on the end of the operating chain.

In setting the device the chain 2) is drawn out-ward until the hook w on the end of the chain is caught under the lever arm u. Vhen the chain is drawn outward it closes up the door we. in the measuring receptacle (Z,

flow from the hopper into the measuring receptacle, until it fills with the amount set for, by the arm 7a of the keeper-handle engaging with the graduation pin projecting from the sides. One end of the spring 7b is fastened to the bottom of the slide 9, and the other end is fastened to the side edge of the hopper Z). By drawing back the operating chain 79 it draws back with it the slide 9 as they are coupled together by the small branch chain 7, and by drawing back the slide 9 the spring is stretched and is held stretched, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, until the operating chain 2) is released, which will allow the spring h to expand, and by the expansion the slide g is forced forard to close oil further supply from the hopper until the parts are re-set. "hen the alarm goes oil the lever arm it draws out of engagement with the hook w, on the end of the chain, when the weight of the feed supported on the door m, in the measuring receptacle, causes the door to lower, at the same time the slide 9 closes by the action of the spring 71, and closes off the flow of feed from the hopper. The feed from the meas uring receptacle will then have passed through the chute section 0, and fallen into the feed box 00, arranged on the manger immediately below the chute 0 of the measur ing receptacle. Any number of stalls may be fitted with the parts described, and arranged that the one clock may operate them all at the one time; as the operating chain may be arranged to pass in close proximity and be coupled to the operating parts by a section of chain or cable, so that by the one action of the alarm, all of the parts will act in unison. To reset the parts after the feed has been released from the hopper, and deposited into the feed box, the chain will be drawn back again to engage with the clock, by which action another quantity of feed will be released from the hopper into the the measuring receptacle, and as the action of drawing the chain back, draws up the door on, in the measuring receptacle, the feed will be contained therein, until the chain is again released, when the door will be opened by the weight of the feed, and allowed to flow through the chute 0, out into the feed box. This operation may be continued as long as the feed chest contains feed.

The hopper and measuring receptacle maybe constructed from wood or metal, and in any suitable shape, preferably as is shown in the drawings.

Slight modifications may be made in the shape and arrangements of the parts without deviating from the nature of my invention.

hat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a feeding device of the class specified, of a feed chest, a hopper formed in the bottom of said feed chest, a measuring receptacle set beneath; said hopper, a spring actuated slide set in' the bottom of said hopper, a hinge door arranged Within the said measuring receptacle, operating chains connecting said slide and hinge door, the front of said measuring; receptacle adapted to be adjusted outward and means for fastening in its adjusted posit-ions, an alarm clock set in close proximity with said hopper, said operating chains adapted to be connected and released from said alarm clock, substantially as described.

2. In a feeding device of the class specified, of a feed chest, a hopper formed in the bottom of said feed chest, a' measuring receptacle set beneath said hopper, said hopper having a spring actuated slide set in its 7 bottom, a hinge door arranged with said measuring receptacle, a hinge front ar-,

ceptacle set beneath said hopper, a spring actuated slide set in the bottom of said hopper, a hinged door arranged wlthm said measuring receptacle, operating chains con? necting said slide and said hinged door, a hinged front formed with said measuring receptacle, extension side wings formed with said hinged front, a handlekeeper formed with said hinged front, extension arms formed integral with said handle-' keeper, said extension arms adapted to engage with pins extending from the sides of said measuring receptacle, said pins adapted to indicate different quantities said receptacle is adapted to be adjusted to, an alarm clock set in close proximity with said hopper, said operating chain adapted to be connected and released from said alarm clock, substantially as described.

Signed at Toronto, this 9th day of July,

JAMES JO SEPH MCGUIGAN. In the presence of A. A. Anaars, J. N. BLACK. 

